Testing, of human abilities, achievements, and personality traits. In the field of education and psychology, testing is a method used to measure an individuals knowledge, intelligence, or other characteristics. It is done in a scientific and systematic manner. Testing is widely used in schools and colleges to find out how well students can learn or are learning, to discover learning difficulties and improve teaching, to assist counselors in providing educational and vocational guidance, and to screen applicants for college. Besides these, there are some other types of tests that give an insight into their personality traits or other psychological characteristics of an individual.
In business and industry, and in the armed forces, tests are used in selecting, classifying, and training people for various jobs. In government agencies applicants are tested for civil service jobs.
Psychologists and educators caution that tests must be carefully selected and must be given by qualified examiners, and the results must be interpreted by persons who understand the nature and limitations of the tests. Results of tests can tell only part of what there is to know about a person. Skillful interviews, observation, and case histories are other important aids to understanding and counseling people.
